Defiant teen sent to jail

Last updated 09:13 25/06/2014

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A Timaru teenager's disregard for a judge's warnings has resulted in him being sent to jail.

Shaydon Mark Speir, 18, a freezing worker, appeared in the Timaru District Court yesterday on a series of charges including two breaches of a protection order. He was also facing one charge each of escaping custody and male assaults female.

Judge Joanna Maze reminded Speir that he had been "warned and warned and warned". "So, he has drawn a line in the sand by his own behaviour," she told the court.

Speir breached a protection order on May 9 when he visited a Timaru address.

At an earlier court appearance, police prosecutor Greg Sutherland explained how Speir had pushed his way into the house to ask a resident about her relationship with another man.

On May 27, Speir made a phone call to the woman, threatening to kill her if she left. He told police he could not remember the call.

On June 6, he was arrested on a warrant in relation to a series of charges. He was placed in custody at the court in preparation for a court appearance, but escaped through a side door.

Sutherland said Speir was found six days later, hiding under a bed at a Timaru address. "He said he ran away because he was scared of going to jail."

The judge said Speir was naive, had used his youth to his advantage, and had refused to accept the warnings that had been given to him. "You have been warned multiple times. I am not sentencing you, you are.

"You've done it yourself."

On the charge of male assaults female, he was jailed for one month, his community supervision was cancelled but a month's jail imposed for breaching his previous sentence; and on the other charges he was sentenced to two months' jail. All terms are concurrent.